The Keralam government on Tuesday ordered an investigation based on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) report seeking action against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and her husband P A Mohamed Riyas in the alleged CMRL bribery case.
The state government had received legal advice from attorney general (AG) Jaju Babu based on the findings of the ED in the case. The AG is learnt to have recommended an inquiry against Vijayan and others after assessing that the central agency has unearthed evidence pointing to corruption and bribery.
Home minister Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that the state government has asked director general of police (DGP) Ravada Chandrasekhar to open an inquiry against Vijayan and others in the case. “The nature of the probe will be decided by the DGP,” he said.
The ED, earlier this month, had sent a communication to the state DGP seeking the registration of a corruption case against Vijayan and others based on ‘evidence’ it found of the former chief minister receiving kickbacks from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), a Kochi-based minerals manufacturer, through his daughter Veena T and the now-defunct IT firm Exalogic she ran.
Serious Fraud Investigation Office Probes CMRL Payments Case
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is investigating allegations involving Veena and her company, Exalogic, which reportedly received ₹ 2.78 crore from the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) without providing any services. A preliminary report has been filed in a court in Ernakulam district, implicating Veena and several senior CMRL officials in this case.
In response to these developments, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of engaging in ‘political vendetta’ on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government, suggesting that the investigation is politically motivated against opposition leaders.
